From my diary

A correspondent reminds me that letter 100 in the Collectio Avellana, a medieval collection of papal letters, is a letter by Pope Gelasius to the senator Andromachus, justifying the abolition of the ancient Roman festival of the Lupercalia. I mentioned it here, but then forgot all about it. By chance another correspondent wrote on a different issue today, and from his role, he may know of someone competent to do the job and who might be glad of the money. I’d do it myself if I ever had any time away from working.

The letter is interesting, not just for itself, but also because it quotes from the lost 2nd decade of Livy, on the origins of the Lupercalia. Which is something that should be made more widely available, all for itself.

In other news, the vandal attacking the Mithras pages made another attempt yesterday, but not today. I infer that the wretch has had to go back to work. I wonder who he really is, and where from?